Dominoes
are small tiles traditionally carved from ivory or bone with
small, round pips of inset ebony. Many different domino sets
have been used for centuries throughout the world to play a variety
of domino games. The name 'Domino' may derive from a French word
for a Christian priest's winter hood (which was black on the
outside and white on the inside) or from a Latin word meaning "I
win!".

The
oldest known domino set was found in Tutankhamen's tomb, among
the ruins of Thebes (Tutankhamen was king of ancient Egypt in
the 18th dynasty, 1355 BC). According to historians, a Chinese
set, with 32 pieces, existed in the year 1120 AD. They were apparently
derived from cubic dice, which had been introduced into China
from India. Some time in the early 18th century dominoes made
their way to Europe, making their first appearance in Italy.
Occidental domino sets are usually composed of 28 tiles.